The short answer: On an iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact — a handful of taps. On Google, visit your Inactive Account Manager settings and add up to 10 trusted contacts. On Facebook, go to Settings, then Personal and Account Information, then Memorialization Settings. All three together take one sitting, and none of it requires a lawyer. Menu labels change from time to time, particularly on Facebook — if what you see does not match, search the platform’s own help centre for “legacy contact” or “memorialization settings”.
A Legacy Contact is a person you choose in advance who can access or manage parts of your account after you die, or after the account has been inactive for a set period of time — without needing your password. It’s a setting, not a legal document, but it’s one of the few things standing between your family and a locked screen.
What Is a Legacy Contact, and Why Does It Matter?
A Legacy Contact is a feature built into Apple, Google, and Facebook that lets you name someone who can step in on your account when you no longer can — whether that’s downloading your photos, closing out your profile, or simply confirming what happened. Without one, your family may face a long request process — proof of death, and in some cases a court order — before a platform grants any access at all. What they are legally entitled to ask for varies by state and by country, and it is usually less than people assume. If you’ve read about how legacy contacts fit into end-of-life planning, this is the part where you actually flip the switches.
How Do I Set Up a Legacy Contact on iPhone (Apple)?
On an iPhone running iOS 15.2 or later, you can add a Legacy Contact in under 5 taps.
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap Sign-In & Security.
- Tap Legacy Contact, then Add Legacy Contact.
- Choose someone from your contacts, or add them by phone or email if they don’t have an Apple device nearby.
- Apple generates an access key — share it with your contact now, or save it as a PDF for later.
Your Legacy Contact will be able to access your photos, files, messages, and most app data after you pass away, once they submit your access key and a death certificate to Apple. Purchased content, like movies and books tied to your Apple ID, generally doesn’t transfer.
How Do I Set Up a Legacy Contact on Google?
Google doesn’t use the term “Legacy Contact” — its version is called Inactive Account Manager, and it works a little differently: instead of triggering only on death, it triggers after a period of inactivity you choose.
- Go to myaccount.google.com/inactive while signed in.
- Set a timeout period — 3, 6, 12, or 18 months of no activity.
- Add up to 10 trusted contacts who’ll be notified and given access to data you select (Gmail, Photos, Drive, and more).
- Optionally, set an auto-reply so anyone emailing you is told what happened.
- Choose whether Google should delete your account automatically 3 months after the timeout passes.
Because it’s based on inactivity rather than a confirmed death, Google’s system is worth revisiting if your habits change — a long hospital stay or a phone lost while traveling could otherwise notify your contacts by mistake.
How Do I Set Up a Legacy Contact on Facebook?
Facebook’s Legacy Contact manages what happens to your profile after it’s memorialized, rather than granting full account access.
- Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings.
- Tap Personal and Account Information, then Memorialization Settings.
- Choose a Legacy Contact from your friends list, or select Request Account Deletion instead if you’d rather no memorial page exist at all.
- Your chosen contact can pin a tribute post, respond to new friend requests, and update your profile photo — but they cannot log in as you or read your private messages.
What Should I Do After Setting Up All Three?
Tell the people you’ve named. A Legacy Contact who doesn’t know they’ve been chosen is a plan that only half-works — they’ll need your access key (Apple) or simply need to know to look for Google’s or Facebook’s notification. It also helps to keep a running list of what you’ve set up alongside where your other important documents live; Myend’s Contacts feature and dedicated Legacy Contact page are built for exactly this, so the people you trust aren’t piecing it together from three different apps. And because settings like these tend to get forgotten the moment they’re switched on, it’s worth treating them the same way you’d treat any part of your estate plan that needs to stay updated — a quick check once a year, especially after a move, a breakup, or a falling-out with the person you named.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Legacy Contact replace a will?
No. A Legacy Contact only controls access to a specific online account — it has no legal authority over your money, property, or belongings. A will, or in some cases a document like a last will with clear terms, is what determines who inherits what. Some assets bypass the will entirely and pass by beneficiary designation or joint ownership — retirement accounts and life insurance usually go to whoever is named on the policy, whatever the will says.
Can I change my Legacy Contact later?
Yes, on all three platforms. Apple, Google, and Facebook all let you remove or replace a Legacy Contact at any time, and doing so takes just a minute or two. It’s worth checking in on your choice whenever a relationship changes.
What can a Legacy Contact not do?
A Legacy Contact generally cannot log in as you, see your private messages in full, or access purchased content like movies, music, or paid apps. Their access is limited to what each platform defines — downloadable files and photos on Apple, selected data categories on Google, and profile management only on Facebook.
Do I need a lawyer to set up a Legacy Contact?
No. Setting up a Legacy Contact is a free, built-in privacy setting on each platform and takes about 5 minutes per account. It’s a practical step you can complete today, separate from any legal planning like a will.
Platform settings are the fastest thing on this list to finish, which is exactly why they are worth doing first. They are not the whole job though — the rest of an end-of-life plan is where the documents live.
This article is general information, not legal, medical, or financial advice. Laws and platform features vary by location and change over time — consult a licensed professional in your jurisdiction for guidance specific to your situation.
Last reviewed: July 2026
